Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
ETNA GREEN - Commonwealth Engineers representatives presented their wastewater study at the Etna Green Town Council meeting Tuesday.
Ryan Wisman, engineering intern; and Chris Harrison, business development manager, both with Commonwealth Engineers, presented the wastewater study, which showed the current wastewater treatment plant for the town is no longer running properly. They cited examples like how the main lift station sends wastewater to the plant inconsistently. The current plant was built in 1990, and these issues are simply because of age.
Three options were presented to the town. The first, regionalization, would involve wastewater being sent to the Warsaw wastewater treatment plant through 9 miles of 6-inch pipe, a lift station near Atwood and a second additional lift station just outside Warsaw. This is the option Commonwealth decided to go with after discussing it with the council and the town’s financial advisor.
The state of Indiana has been urging small towns to pursue regionalization for their wastewater as a way to reduce the number of wastewater treatment plants operating in the state, so grant funding will be easiest to find for this solution. They have spoken to the city of Warsaw and received permission to pursue this plan.
The other two options were rehabilitation, which would involve fixing the issues with the existing Etna Green wastewater treatment plant; or building a new wastewater treatment plant for the town. If grant funding does not come through for the regionalization plan, the town will look into rehabilitation. Maintaining a wastewater plant, whether through rehabilitation or building a new one, will cost the town more in the long run as this conversation would need to be held every 30 years for the foreseeable future.
By pursuing regionalization, Council member Keith Claassen said, “Life expectancy of the plant would be put on the shoulders of Warsaw.”
Moving forward, the town will speak with other entities, including representatives for Atwood and Hoffman Lake, about whether they would also like to be connected to the system and involved with the project moving forward. The size of pipe laid needs to be specific to the number of people serviced, so it will be best for additional tie-ins to be determined before the pipe is laid.
Leesburg and Winona Lake are both already regionalized and connected to the Warsaw wastewater system.
Once the regionalization is complete, the city of Warsaw will bill the town of Etna Green for wastewater processing, and the town will then bill residents.
Council President Heath Roberts said, “The state is more apt to throw money at this project, to get rid of these (wastewater treatment plant) permits and to go green. We are Etna Green, so let’s try to get some green.”
In other business:
• Starting in May, the town will begin using PayGov for credit and debit card utility payments. This will allow payments to be made online through the PayGov website here and through the PayGov app.
• Roberts stated Etna Green is still looking for more contractors to submit bids for the pavilion and restroom project at Heritage Park.
• Taylor Stouder was introduced as the new utility clerk.
• Amy Roe, Kosciusko County community coordinator; and Zach Dripps, Michiana Area Council of Governments director of operations and community development, discussed necessary materials for the 2026 K21 Health Foundation grant due June 30.
• The town will begin sending out fines for ordinance violations next month.
• The council approved the salary ordinance for 2026.
• The next Etna Green Town Council meeting will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.
